Abstract: An actuator device having an expansion unit (10), which comprises a magnetically active shape memory alloy material (12) and which carries out an expansion movement from a starting position along an expansion direction as a reaction to an energization of a coil device (30) and interacts with restoring means which exert on the expansion unit (10) a restoring force opposite to the expansion direction, wherein the restoring force has permanent magnets which act or are seated on a section of the expansion unit (10) such that the restoring force generated magnetically by the permanent magnets changes with increasing expansion stroke in the expansion direction, wherein the permanent magnets (16, 34, 40, 52, 54) are embodied and/or designed such that the expansion unit (10) can contract into the starting position along the expansion stroke when the coil device (30) is not energized.

Abstract: An MSM actuator system, comprising at least one expansion unit (22) having a magnetic shape memory material (MSM); coil means (27) for creating the magnetic flux; and flux-conducting means (10 to 16) made from a magnetically conductive material, the flux-conducting means constructed for enclosing by means of the coil means and magnetically flux-conducting contacting of the expansion unit by means of mutually opposite end sections (18, 20).

Abstract: Actuator having a drive element (16) which can be driven in reaction to electrical operation of a coil device (14), said drive element consisting of a magnetic shape-memory material and being designed to transmit mechanical drive energy to an actuating partner (28), wherein the drive element, which is in the form of an expansion unit (16) and is aligned such that it extends in a drive direction (22), is associated with a pair of laterally adjacent magnetic flux guide elements (18, 20) for a magnetic flux produced by the coil device, such that the magnetic flux is guided between the flux guide elements through the expansion unit and transversely with respect to the drive direction, the coil device (14) being provided such that it is circumferential around the expansion unit (16) which extends axially in the drive direction.

Abstract: An overcurrent switching device for an electric circuit to be monitored, which has interrupter contact means (14) constructed in such a manner that an interruption of the electric circuit is effected as a reaction to the exceeding of a predetermined current threshold, wherein the interrupter contact means have an expansion unit (16) realized by means of a magnetically active shape memory alloy material, which is loaded by a magnetic field (18) of a current flowing in the electric circuit, characterized in that the expansion unit (16; 30; 32; 34) mechanically driving a contact, particularly an interrupter contact (14), is provided adjacently to a coil-free current-carrying conductor section (10) of the electric circuit for magnetic interaction in such a manner that above the predetermined current threshold, a current flow in the current carrying conductor section generates a magnetic field which effects an expansion movement of the expansion unit which interrupts the electric circuit.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator device, comprising a coil unit (14), which surrounds a first yoke section (13) of a stationary yoke unit and can be activated by energizing the coil unit; and armature elements (10, 12), which are guided so as to be movable relative to the yoke unit and which interact with an output-side actuating partner and which can be driven in order to perform an actuating movement. The armature elements interact with at least one second yoke section (15, 16) of the yoke unit to form an air gap (26, 28) for a magnetic flux produced by the activated coil unit.

Abstract: An actuator having a drive element which is made of a magnetic shape memory material, can be driven in response to electrical control of a plurality of coil apparatuses (10, 12) and is designed to carry out an expansion movement in response to said control, wherein the coil apparatuses are magnetically connected to the drive element (14) via flux-concentrating means (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30), and a flux-concentrating section of the flux-concentrating means is associated with the coil apparatuses for interaction with the drive element.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator device, comprising a coil unit, which surrounds a first yoke section of a stationary yoke unit and is activated by energizing the coil unit, and armature elements, which are guided so as to be movable relative to the yoke unit and which interact with an output-side actuating partner and are driven in order to perform an actuating movement, the armature elements interact with at least one second yoke section of the yoke unit to form an air gap lying outside of the first yoke section for a magnetic flux produced by the activated coil unit.

Abstract: An electromagnetic camshaft-adjuster device having an armature unit (14, 42) drivable along an axial direction in reaction of a current feed of a stationary inductor unit (10), which for interacting with an adjusting unit (16, 48) causing adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine is configured with a slide and/or tappet unit, wherein on and/or in the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit, a permanent magnet element (20, 44) is provided and the inductor unit and the armature unit are at least partially received in a housing or supporting unit, and wherein the supporting unit is associated with a configured stationary magnetic field detection element (22, 38) preferably for contactless magnetic interaction with the permanent magnet element, which is configured so that in a current feed condition and a non current feed condition the inductor unit an axial position of the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit can be determined electronically by evaluating a magnetic field detection signal of t

Abstract: A method for producing an MSM actuator element, having a crystal orientation along a first crystal axis, from a monocrystalline MSM body by introducing a molten alloying material into a molding shell and subsequently solidifying the alloying material, comprising the following steps: providing a molding shell which comprises a nucleation region (24), a selector region (26) and a crystal region (28) and is oriented along a longitudinal axis (22) at least in some sections, introducing the molten MSM alloying material, in particular NiMnGa-based alloying material, into the molding shell without providing a separate nucleation crystal, compacting the MSM alloying material by generating a solidification front moving from the nucleation region across the selector region into the crystal region along a solidification path.

Abstract: An overcurrent switching device for an electric circuit to be monitored, which has interrupter contact means (14) constructed in such a manner that an interruption of the electric circuit is effected as a reaction to the exceeding of a predetermined current threshold, wherein the interrupter contact means have an expansion unit (16) realised by means of a magnetically active shape memory alloy material, which is loaded by a magnetic field (18) of a current flowing in the electric circuit, characterized in that the expansion unit (16; 30; 32; 34) mechanically driving a contact, particularly an interrupter contact (14), is provided adjacently to a coil-free current-carrying conductor section (10) of the electric circuit for magnetic interaction in such a manner that above the predetermined current threshold, a current flow in the current carrying conductor section generates a magnetic field which effects an expansion movement of the expansion unit which interrupts the electric circuit.

Abstract: Actuator apparatus having a drive element (26) which can tilt and/or pivot in a predetermined manner in response to electrical activation and which is formed such that it can be contacted by an output partner in order to transmit mechanical drive energy, wherein the drive element, as a connection element, is operatively connected to two expansion units (10, 12; 40, 42), which are formed by means of magnetic shape-memory alloy material, such that the connection element executes a tilting and/or pivoting movement in response to an expansion or contraction movement of one of the expansion units, expansion or contraction movement being produced by the electrical activation and also a magnetic field which is generated by said electrical activation.

Abstract: Actuator device having an expansion unit, which includes a magnetic shape memory alloy material, and a spring unit which interacts therewith in a restoring manner, wherein at least one spring of the spring unit is assigned to the expansion unit, which is designed to perform an expansion movement along an expansion direction, in such a way that the spring can exert a restoring spring force counter to the expansion direction on the expansion unit, and wherein the spring is set up and/or predetermined in its spring characteristic curve properties in such a way that a spring force profile of the spring unit along a stroke range, determined by an expansion force profile of the expansion unit and a restoring spring force profile, of the expansion movement does not form a continuously rising curve, and/or the spring force profile, with respect to a continuously rising curve, extends and/or increases the stroke range.

Abstract: Actuator having a drive element (16) which can be driven in reaction to electrical operation of a coil device (14), said drive element consisting of a magnetic shape-memory material and being designed to transmit mechanical drive energy to an actuating partner (28), wherein the drive element, which is in the form of an expansion unit (16) and is aligned such that it extends in a drive direction (22), is associated with a pair of laterally adjacent magnetic flux guide elements (18, 20) for a magnetic flux produced by the coil device, such that the magnetic flux is guided between the flux guide elements through the expansion unit and transversely with respect to the drive direction, the coil device (14) being provided such that it is circumferential around the expansion unit (16) which extends axially in the drive direction.

Abstract: An electromagnetic camshaft-adjuster device having an armature unit (14, 42) drivable along an axial direction in reaction of a current feed of a stationary inductor unit (10), which for interacting with an adjusting unit (16, 48) causing adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine is configured with a slide and/or tappet unit, wherein on and/or in the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit, a permanent magnet element (20, 44) is provided and the inductor unit and the armature unit are at least partially received in a housing or supporting unit, and wherein the supporting unit is associated with a configured stationary magnetic field detection element (22, 38) preferably for contactless magnetic interaction with the permanent magnet element, which is configured so that in a current feed condition and a non current feed condition the inductor unit an axial position of the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit can be determined electronically by evaluating a magnetic field detection signal of t

Abstract: Actuator apparatus having a drive element (26) which can tilt and/or pivot in a predetermined manner in response to electrical activation and which is formed such that it can be contacted by an output partner in order to transmit mechanical drive energy, wherein the drive element, as a connection element, is operatively connected to two expansion units (10, 12; 40, 42), which are formed by means of magnetic shape-memory alloy material, such that the connection element executes a tilting and/or pivoting movement in response to an expansion or contraction movement of one of the expansion units, expansion or contraction movement being produced by the electrical activation and also a magnetic field which is generated by said electrical activation.